The faint beeping of monitors echoed through the quiet hospital corridor, blending with the distant sound of hurried footsteps and hushed voices. It was one of those long evenings when time seemed to slow down, yet everything felt rushed.
Inside the emergency ward, under the harsh white lights,
Dr. Ivy Anderson carefully removed her gloves, her fingers slightly trembling from hours of continuous work. A thin layer of sweat rested on her forehead, strands of her dark hair escaping her loose bun.
"BP is stable now," she said softly, glancing at the patient one last time.
A nurse beside her nodded. "You should take a break, doctor."
Ivy gave a small smile—the kind that didn't quite reach her tired eyes. "In a minute."
That "minute" was always longer than it should be.
She stepped out into the corridor, the cool air brushing against her warm skin. The smell of antiseptic, something she had grown used to over the years, filled her senses. It wasn't unpleasant anymore—it was familiar. Safe, even.
This was her world.
Simple. Real. Meaningful.
Lives weren't contracts here. They were fragile, unpredictable… and deeply human.
"Ivy!"
She turned as her colleague, Dr. Meera, walked toward her, holding two cups of coffee.
"You look like you might collapse any second," Meera said, handing her one.
Ivy chuckled softly. "That obvious?"
"Very."
They stood near the large glass window at the end of the corridor. Outside, the sky was painted in shades of orange and fading gold, the sun slowly sinking behind the buildings.
For a moment, Ivy just stared at it.
She rarely noticed sunsets anymore.
"You ever think about taking a day off?" Meera asked.
Ivy took a sip of coffee, the warmth spreading through her tired body. "And do what?"
"Live your life?" Meera teased.
Ivy smiled faintly but didn't reply.
Her life… was this.
And she was okay with it.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket, breaking the moment.
Mom Calling…
Ivy's expression softened instantly as she picked up.
"Hello, Mom."
"Ivy beta," her mother's voice came, gentle but slightly tense. "When will you come home?"
Ivy frowned a little. "In about an hour. Why?"
"Come early today… we need to talk."
Something in her tone made Ivy's grip tighten on the phone.
"Is everything okay?"
A brief pause.
"Yes… just come soon."
The call ended.
Ivy stared at her phone for a second longer than necessary.
That wasn't normal.
"Everything okay?" Meera asked.
"I don't know," Ivy replied quietly. "Mom sounded… serious."
Meera raised an eyebrow. "Marriage talk?"
Ivy rolled her eyes immediately. "Please don't start."
But deep inside, a small uneasiness had already begun to settle.
By the time Ivy reached home, the sky had turned dark, and the streetlights cast a soft yellow glow across the quiet neighborhood. Her house stood just like always—warm, familiar, comforting.
But today…
Something felt different.
The moment she stepped inside, she noticed the silence.
No TV sounds. No casual chatter.
Just stillness.
"I'm home," she called out, placing her bag down.
Her parents were sitting in the living room, side by side.
Waiting.
That was enough to make her heart beat faster.
She walked toward them slowly. "What happened?"
Her father gestured to the sofa. "Sit, Ivy."
She sat, her eyes moving between them.
Her mother held her hands gently. "We need to discuss something important."
Ivy swallowed.
"Okay…"
Her father took a deep breath.
"We received a marriage proposal for you."
There it was.
Ivy closed her eyes for a brief second before opening them again.
"Dad… we've talked about this," she said calmly, though her voice carried firmness. "I'm not ready."
"Just listen first," her mother insisted softly.
Ivy leaned back slightly, crossing her arms. "Fine."
Her father continued, "The proposal is from a very respected and influential family."
"I'm not interested in status," Ivy replied.
"This is different."
A pause.
"His name is Carter Wood."
Ivy blinked.
"…what?"
"Carter Wood," her father repeated. "Finance Minister."
For a moment, Ivy genuinely thought she had misheard.
"That's not possible," she said, letting out a soft laugh of disbelief. "Why would someone like him send a proposal to me?"
Her parents didn't respond immediately.
And that silence…
Made everything feel heavier.
"There's a condition," her father finally said.
Ivy's expression changed.
"What condition?"
Her mother spoke this time, her voice careful.
"It's a contract marriage."
The words hung in the air.
Unfamiliar. Unreal.
Ivy slowly pulled her hands away.
"A contract… marriage?"
"Yes," her father nodded gently. "A legal agreement for two years. No emotional involvement. No obligations beyond mutual understanding."
Ivy stood up abruptly.
"This is absurd."
"Ivy—"
"No, Dad," she said, her voice rising slightly. "Marriage is not something you sign like a business deal. It's not temporary."
Her chest tightened as she paced a little.
"And why me?" she demanded. "He could marry anyone. Why choose a stranger for something like this?"
Her mother looked at her with a mix of concern and helplessness.
"Because he doesn't want love."
That made Ivy stop.
She turned slowly.
"…what do you mean?"
"He specifically asked for someone independent," her father explained. "Someone mature, career-focused… who won't create emotional complications."
Ivy let out a soft, almost bitter laugh.
"So basically… someone who won't fall in love."
No one denied it.
A strange silence filled the room again.
Ivy looked away, her thoughts tangled.
It sounded wrong.
Completely against everything she believed in.
And yet…
There was something oddly… clear about it.
No expectations. No heartbreak.
Just… time.
"Have you met him?" she asked quietly.
"No," her father replied. "But he wants to meet you."
Of course he did.
Ivy exhaled slowly.
"And if I say no?"
Her mother squeezed her hand. "Then it's no. We won't force you."
That should have made it easier.
But it didn't.
Later that night, Ivy stood by her bedroom window, the cool night breeze brushing against her face. The world outside was calm, almost too calm for the storm in her mind.
She tried to imagine him.
Carter Wood.
A man who turned marriage into an agreement.
A man who didn't believe in love.
She frowned slightly.
"Arrogant," she whispered.
But even as she said it…
A small spark of curiosity flickered inside her.
Miles away, in a high-rise building glowing against the city skyline, a man stood near the glass window of his office.
The city lights reflected in his sharp, composed eyes.
"Has she responded?" he asked without turning.
His assistant shook his head. "Not yet, sir."
A brief pause.
"She will," he said calmly.
Not hopeful.
Certain.
The assistant hesitated. "Should I arrange a meeting?"
"Yes."
The answer was immediate.
As the room fell silent again, the man finally turned, walking back to his desk. A file lay open there.
A photograph clipped to the corner.
Dr. Ivy Anderson.
He picked it up, studying it for a moment.
Calm eyes. Simple presence.
No pretense.
Interesting.
"Let's see," Carter murmured softly,
"…if you can follow the rules."
Back in her room, Ivy closed her eyes.
Her life had always been steady.
Predictable.
Safe.
But now…
Standing at the edge of a decision she never expected—
She knew one thing.
If she said yes…
Nothing would ever be the same again.